* Have your NAR number or your name on the outside, large
and clear enough that the contest officials can easily read it. Teams must use
the Team number or name. USMRSC 9.4

* Have been constructed by yourself or by one or more
members of your Team. You may not enter Ready-To-Fly rockets (no construction
required) in NAR sanctioned competition. USMRSC 9.9

Know the rules

Your having a grasp of the bigger picture can increase your
enjoyment of NAR competition. You can read the Pink Book Lite to see only
the rules for competitors, not for Contest Directors or other contest
officials. Read the full USMRSC (Pink Book) to see all the rules.

* A streamer is defined for this event as a piece of cloth, plastic
film, or paper, whose shape is approximately rectangular. The streamer must
have a length- to-width ratio of five to one (5:1) or greater and have a
minimum area of 100 square centimeters. USMRSC 31.2

* The streamer and model must be connected by only a single
line or cord, attached at the narrow end of the streamer. The cord may not be
connected to either the streamer or the model at more than one point (e.g., no
yokes are permitted). The streamer may not be cut, slit, or otherwise altered
in such a manner as to affect its nature as a simple connected plane. USMRSC 31.2

* Several pieces of material may be assembled into a single
streamer to overcome length restrictions imposed by the length of commercially
available material. All pieces of the streamer shall consist of identical
material (e.g., the same type of crepe, plastic, or so on). Lengths of streamer
material assembled in this manner must be joined in a manner so as to keep the
aerodynamic effects of the joint as small as possible. All such joints shall be
parallel to the narrow axis of the streamer. USMRSC 31.3

* SD is divided into classes based on the total impulse of
the motor(s) you must use. USMRSC
31.4

* Your final score is the sum of your entry’s flight
durations (in seconds) on up to two official flights. USMRSC 10.1, 10.3

* The duration starts at the first motion on the launch pad
and ends when the entry lands or the timer loses sight it. USMRSC 15.6

What Will Disqualify My Entry?

* Your entry will be disqualified if it separates into two
or more parts or ejects the motor(s). USMRSC 15.2

* Your entry may be disqualified if, in the opinion of the
contest officials, it does not comply with the competition rules or is unsafe
in operation. USMRSC
11.1, 11.2

How About Some Suggestions for New Competitors?

Almost any rocket that can fly on the motor used for a
particular SD event can be competitive. Many Estes and Quest rocket kits
available at local hobby stores are good candidates for SD. Rockets with a
smaller diameter and lower weight will go higher and usually get a longer
duration.

A rocket with a diameter of 0.5 inches to 0.75 inches will
usually be best for 1/8A to A SD. The 0.5 inch 1/4A, 1/2A and A motors will be
your best choice. However, an Estes Alpha using an A8-3 motor would also be
good as your first entry in A SD. For B, C, D, and E SD, 1 inch diameter
rockets will be competitive and easier to prepare. For F and G SD, use minimum
diameter models that are as light as possible will be best.

Your recovery system must deploy if you are to get the best
possible duration. Use a rocket with the smallest diameter in which you can
pack a streamer that will reliably deploy. Use the longest streamer that you
can pack into your rocket and still have reliable deployment.

If you are not using a kit from ASP or QCR, you’ll probably
get longer flights if you build your own streamer. Mylar birthday banners,
which are readily available at hobby stores, can be cut into competition
streamers. Use sturdy tape other than cellophane (Scotch) or masking tape to
attach your shock cord or line to the streamer. Tie some knots in the end of
the shock cord/line that you tape to the streamer. Attach the shock cord/line
to one end of the streamer so that it sticks out of the tape at a corner rather
than at the center of the end of the streamer. A simple folding method is to
repeatedly fold the streamer in half lengthwise until it fits in the rocket.
You may need to make the streamer shorter to fit.

Use a pop-lug, tower or piston
launcher for greater altitude. (see below)

What Else & What Next?

Streamer Folding Technique by Steve Humphrey NAR 17888,
NARHAMS 139

Here's a trick I learned from Ross Hironaka for folding
mylar streamers: Roll the material onto a suitable "mandrel"--I use a
BT-5 tube. If the material comes wide enough for a few streamers, roll it up
before slicing it. Slide the rolled-up material off the mandrel, then clamp it
between two boards. I use a couple of poplar 2x2's. I don't use clamps, rather
I screw the pieces together with a few deck screws; but clamps work OK. Then
toss the whole thing in the oven set to the lowest setting (180 or so). Come
back in a couple of hours, or the next day if you forget about it (I did once!)
Remove the clamps and presto--folded streamer. If you clamped up the wide
stuff, now slice it into individual streamers.

The key to having success with even paper streamers is to
take the stress off of the streamer during ejection. There are several little
tricks to this that all add up in the end. You can reinforce the streamer a bit
with some Mylar or scotch tape on the edges but you don't need to go very far
up the streamer. Here are the primary tricks that make a difference for me:

1. Use 3 to 4 model lengths of shock cord between the nose
cone and the model. I just use 15 to 30 lb. braided ice fishing line (not
monofilament). Attach a second shock cord 2 to 3 feet long to the streamer and
tie it to the main shock cord a few inches behind the nose. You can tie and
remove this for several flights. Learn some fishing cinch knots.

2. Attach the shock cord to the streamer with strapping tape
so the fiber of the tape runs perpendicular to the shock cord. Let about ½ inch
of cord extend beyond the tape. Fold it back over the tape and tape it down
again. This method makes a very strong attachment that doesn't bulge out much
from the streamer.

3. Roll the streamer so that it is not tight in the body
tube. This is a major factor. Sprinkle a little talc based powder on the
streamer before you roll it. This stops things from sticking. Make sure you
don't use too much and shake off all of the excess. Close up the pleats of the
pleated section and then fold the streamer in half along the line of the pleats
before you roll it. This cuts the starting diameter in half right off the bat.
The streamer should be rolled to a diameter that allows it to slide freely out
of the body tube. If it doesn't, you need to try again. This can take some
practice.

4. Hold the streamer so it can't unwind and then wrap the
shock cord about 3 times around the middle of the streamer. This step is
critical. If you don't do it the streamer just unwinds and presses tightly
against the body tube. You have to practice this a little and allow for the
thickness of the shock cord inside the body tube. If you use too few wraps it
won't keep the streamer coiled. Use too many and the streamer won't unfurl.

5. Sprinkle talc base powder on the rolled streamer and
inside the body tube before you insert it in the model. Use a brush something
like a test tube brush to distribute the talc on the inside of the tube.

6. Your model should be long enough so that with wadding in
place and the streamer inserted, there is about 1/4 to 1/2 inch space above the
streamer for the shock cord. Take into account the portion of the nose cone
that sticks in the model. After the streamer is inserted, coil the cords neatly
on top of the streamer. Neatness makes a difference. I usually coil the cord
around my finger and then stick the coiled cord in the tube. If you use hollow
nose cones, you can let the coil extend up into the nose a little. On a side
note, don't use too much wadding. Practice this. Too much/ too tight causes a
high pressure ejection. Too little and you can burn or fuse the streamer so it
won't unfurl. This one gets me once in a while. Polymer based or the mica film
streamer material is more subject to this. Make sure that the nose doesn't fit
to tightly also.

I have used these techniques with very good success for
paper, Mylar and mica-film streamers. They work well for up to 4x40 inch
streamers in BT-5 and 6x60 inch streamers in BT-20 body tubes. These size
streamers are generally quite competitive. These are the basics but you have to
work with them a little. You should not hear a loud pop when the streamer
ejects, If you do, the streamer is being stressed and you need to work at it a
little more. When you get the technique down you should have a 80-90% success
rate. If you have 100% success, you aren't pushing the envelope enough :). But
if you are winning, I guess that doesn't matter does it?

Take 3 1/4" aluminum rods, each about 24" long.
Depending on what size model you want to launch, take an 18" piece of same
body tube and put a few wraps of tape at each end. Place the 3 rods in a
triangle around the body tube and secure with rubber bands, leaving 6" of
the ends of the rods exposed. Now place the rods into a coffee can full of wet
cement or plaster and let set. Voila - launch tower